ARBOR DAY IN DUNEDIN.

Otago Witness, Issue 2008, 18 August 1892, Page 38

ARBOR DAY IN DUNEDIN.

Maisteb Editor,— Haein' the misfortun' tae be in toon last Wednesday I had the quid foitun' to see a' the sichts o' a veritable Arbor Day. I aye notice, Mr Editor, that whaure'er women an' bairns are concerned things gang wi' a vim and swing that denote earnestness o' purpose an' a doonricht determination tae succeed. I raither doot that's the way some o' oor city politicians dinna relish the women's franchise business What I mean is that they — the women folk and the bairns —are no tae be bocht and sellt as a wheen o' the stronger sex af ten are. What they mean they say, think and dae, and naething will drive them frae the straught path 0' their honest convictions. Did ya e'er sec laddies and lassies in a race 7 Nae hangin' back noo an' spartin' then, hustlin' this ane and rinnin' afore that. Na, na, naelhiug but ac swiagein 1 spurt frae start tae finish, and the beads o' perspiration on ilk face indisputably proclaim that their presence there is entirely due tae honest endeavour. That's what maks me hae a leanin' that way.

Weel, weel, I'm forgettin' mysel' an' disCDUrsin' whan it's my place tae be sittin' at yer feet. As I'm aye pleased <vi' the ongawna 0' the weans, sac I wa3 weel pleased wi' the Arbor Day celebrations. The mayor looked his Terra best, an' spoke as a mayor should. The auld Doctor wi' his pawky humour, dune up in stories located in the far awa glen or the heilant clachan o' his youth, was just in h"s element. Bishop Nevili's absence wis explained satisfactorily, it being through bis haein' mista'en the hoor, bit Bishop Moran, weel I leave him tae the tender mercies o' his am conscience for no cotnin' an' patronisin' sic a galherin'. Paul Fj eyerie— och - hone -a - day 1 What wad the hail thing bae been withoot Paul ? Ye hae tastit an egg withoot saut, yo hae seen a hame withoot a mither, the tragedy withoot a Hamlet, c'en then ye canna pictur' tae yerstl' what Arbor Day wad hae been withoot Paul. Wha stuck up a' the flags ? Wha received in quid order an' condition ilk consignment 0' youngsters aa they arrived, and apportioned them their respective places 7 Wha was that wi' him hat perched on the back o' his heid bustlin 1 aboot wi'. a 1 the activity o' a junior ? Wha governed the hail assembly frae the

quid auld Doctor doon tae Holy John 1 t Pau Frederic !

I leave the cheerin' oot o' the coont as I hear— may be falsely — that there's a great run on Allen's Lung Balsaam doon aboot Albany street. Anither pleasin' feature was the singin' o' the children under the batonage o' my worthy freen Mr wham I mind o' At an early date Whan he was beardless, young, an' Mate.

The hail prcceedin's are weel calculated tae create a healthy stimalus an' rejoice the heart 0' a' admirers 0' Natur' — Mr Bathgate included, wha deserves mair than a passin' encomium for bis zeal in this direction. As there is sic a thing as finality tae the paper o' the scribbler and the patience o' the reader I say au revoir. Broseha, August 5. John Plod.